Saskatchewan’s Opposition is calling for immediate government action on the province’s drug crisis after a wave of suspected overdoses in Saskatoon.
Betty Nippi-Albright, the NDP’s shadow minister for mental health and addictions, issued a statement Thursday citing Saskatoon Fire Department figures showing crews responded to 84 suspected overdoses between Aug. 17 and 26. Many of the incidents required multiple doses of naloxone.
“This isn’t a spike; it’s a public health emergency,” Nippi-Albright said.
Prairie Harm Reduction, a Saskatoon-based non-profit, confirmed this week that carfentanil — a powerful fentanyl analogue — has been detected in the local drug supply. The substance, described as green-blue crystals, is suspected to contain both fentanyl and carfentanil.
Nippi-Albright recounted seeing the crisis unfold firsthand, saying that while she was delivering a donation following a press conference, someone overdosed in the alley behind her.
“That moment wasn’t just heartbreaking; it was a brutal reminder of how close this crisis is to all of us,” she said.
The NDP is urging Mental Health and Addictions Minister Lori Carr to declare a state of emergency, a measure government MLAs voted down during the spring sitting, and to implement a series of immediate measures.
Among the demands are real-time drug alerts, transparent overdose data, full accountability for addictions spending, the release of long-promised reports on facilities such as Willowview, and emergency funding for frontline overdose prevention and mental health supports.
International Overdose Awareness Day falls on Aug. 31, and Nippi-Albright said it should serve as a reminder of the urgent need for stronger action.
“Those struggling with substance use disorder are our neighbours, our friends, our family members,” she said. “They deserve care, compassion, and a government that refuses to look away.”